


Marinette's Salty, Chaotic, Bi Adventure.

by DisenchantedHelena



Series: Miraculous Ladybug [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien can't take rejection oof, Akumatized Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, BAMF Kagami, But she's also soft for her disaster of a gf, Chat Blanc - Freeform, Definitely could classify as a salt fic at some points so..., Dragon!Kagami, F/F, F/M, Gabriel is a bad dad and a dick, Good girlfriend Kagami, Kind of cheating??? He flirts with/goes after LB when he's "with" Lila, Like fall over her own foot into a trashcan disaster, Lila and Adrien are dating (but he doesn't want to rip), Lila is Yikes, Low-key salt, Marinette has Big Crush, No Adrienette, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Kagami Tsurugi, Saltinette, She Takes No Bullshit, Tags subject to editing, Tikki is trying, You can take Uncle Jagged from my Cold. Dead. Hands., marinette is a disaster, salt fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisenchantedHelena/pseuds/DisenchantedHelena
Summary: *Marinette's a Bi Disaster*Kagami's a Sophisticated Lesbian*Jagged Stone is the coolest uncle ever*Adrien needs a spine*Gabriel's a dick*Nathalie's an accomplice*The classmates need brain cells*Lila's a lie-la (ha-ha)





	1. Ink

Marinette stumbled over her own feet as she rushed to school, her hair in a messy bun and her jacket hanging off of one shoulder. _I can't believe I woke up so early!_ She thought as she raced up the steps to the school and down the hall to her classroom. She didn't want to be late once again, and being this early was a rare feat for the teen. She adjusted her jacket and her hair before stepping into the room. Her mood immediately fell. 

 

Lila was pressed against Adrien, who looked somewhat uncomfortable. Marinette had been conflicted when it came to Adrien recently. He didn't try to stand up for himself against Lila, saying that exposing her would just make her an akuma victim. The idea of just letting the person who _threatened her_ spread lies and rumors because she was too weak to handle backlash made her want to scream. She wanted to shake her classmates until their common sense returned. Marinette _hated_ liars, and Lila was the definition of one. Her lies weren't even believable! She knew for sure Jagged Stone never had a cat. Hell, she could probably ask him right now to prove it! But no, she was 'jealous' because Lila was close to Adrien! 

 

That was what her classmates had implied, anyways. It was almost insulting. They thought so little of their 'everyday Ladybug' that they thought she'd be an asshole to someone close to her crush! Even Adrien hadn't been on her side. Alya was the one who implied she was jealous! Her own best friend! Marinette thought it was hypocritical. Demanding evidence from her but not from Lila, who she had known for a day. She'd known Marinette since the beginning of the year! Did she really know her that little? She only lied when she had an akuma to fight, and she wished she could tell Alya the truth. 

 

That was another problem. Chat Noir had become increasingly demanding, especially when it came to his 'love confessions'. No matter how many times Marinette told him she wasn't interested, he either threw a hissy fit or simply brushed it off and kept persisting until she snapped. They had a lot more fights when he was like that. She liked Chat Noir. His puns were a mood-lightener, and he was skilled in combat, but she wasn't in love with him. Not like she was with Adrien. Chat Noir just wasn't her type. Maybe if he respected that she loved someone else she wouldn't be as irritated at his attempts.

 

_At least he isn't grabby, _she thought, retrieving her notebook and beginning to work on a new sketch. At least the back of the room was quieter than the front, and she was somewhat alone. The teacher hadn't started the lesson yet, so she assumed sketching would be fine. It was a new suit for Jagged, who had become a really weird...uncle of sorts, since their first meeting. She'd been one of his most go-to designers, and though his ideas were out there, Marinette had fun working on them. His newest suit was inspired somewhat by his exotic pet. A crocodile named Fang.__

__

__"What'cha doing, Mari? Making up more accusations against Lila?" Kim asked, smirking back at her. Marinette rolled her eyes, adding a bit of shading to the sketch. She wanted to make a few small improvements before she actually started making it. Add a bit of flair that matched his style. "When are you going to admit you were wrong?" Kim added. Marinette clenched her jaw. "C'mon, surely this isn't worth all this? I mean, as soon as you apologize everyone will like you again!" He gestured to her and she gripped her pen so hard it broke, splattering ink over her jacket, her notebook page, and her skin. She growled, standing and dropping the pen on her desk, holding her ink-covered hand out._ _

__

__"I don't know, Kim! When are you going to get some _brain cells_ and stop trusting the person you've known for two fucking days?!" She spat, grabbing her sketchbook and storming out of the room to clean up. She calmed herself down once she exited the classroom, not wanting to attract an akuma. She looked down at her hand. Her hand was covered with drying ink, and it had splashed onto her jacket as well. "At least the fabric is black," she muttered. "It shouldn't be hard to fix that," she walked towards the bathroom. She turned on the sink and scrubbed at her hand until most of the ink had washed away. "I can get the rest off at home," she said to herself. _ _

__

__She looked at herself in the mirror. "Right, Dupain-Cheng, you're going to be a strong, independent woman! You're not going to let them get to you. You're strong, you're brave, and you're a super-hero!" She nodded, adjusted her bun to be neater, and splashed water on her face. "You're going to do this." She wiped at her jacket, trying to get rid of a bit of the ink on the fabric, before turning to exit the bathroom._ _

__

__She walked into the hall and turned towards her classroom when she heard a noise. She turned to see a girl standing in front of the front doors. She had short dark blue hair, brown eyes, and small freckles on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Her sharp brown gaze fixed on Marinette as she approached, an aura of confidence seemed to surround her. "Are you a student here?" She questioned._ _

__

__"Uh, y-yeah! I'm Marinette. Are you new?" She questioned. The other girl nodded, and even that seemed formal. Marinette noticed that her hand was still stained a faint purple-black color and blushed slightly. "Welcome to the school! Do you know which class you'll be attending yet?" The girl seemed surprised by her hospitality, but cleared her throat and nodded once again, pulling out a sheet of paper._ _

__

__"I believe it is a...Miss Caline Bustier?" She replied. Marinette's eyes lit up as the girl looked up once again, quirking a brow slightly. Marinette threw a hand behind her shoulder, gesturing in the direction of the classroom. "Which class do you attend?" She questioned, and Marinette realized she hadn't replied yet. She made a weird hand gesture, a nervous tick of sorts in certain situations._ _

__

__"Oh! I'm in Miss Bustier's class too. I guess we'll be spending more time together then...oh! I just realized I never got your name!" She laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. _Maybe I'll have at least one friend here after all, besides Marc and Aurore._ She considered. Everyone else seemed to have turned on her ever since Lila had appeared out of nowhere. _ _

__

__"Kagami Tsurugi," Kagami replied, the corner of her lips turning up into a half smile, "and I suppose we will, Marinette."_ _


	2. Classmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami hears about Marinette's classmates and meets Lila. She's not impressed.

The two girls entered the class a few minutes later, chatting quietly. Marinette learned that Kagami had transferred from a more expensive and private school, she was a fencer, and she also had an interest in archery and ice skating as hobbies. Marinette had told her about her dream to be a designer, and her interests in drawing and music. "Ah, glad you have decided to join us, Marinette. Who's your friend?" The teacher questioned.

 

"Kagami Tsurugi, miss," she preformed a quick bow. "I just transferred here." The teacher nodded and surveyed the classroom, trying to see if there were any open seats. The only one remaining was beside Marinette in the back of the room. She turned to see the two girls before sighing softly. She knew the class would be upset at her choice, but it wasn't like they had any other open seats. 

 

"Alright, Kagami! You can sit in the back of the class next to Marinette." Kagami nodded and followed Marinette to the back, ignoring the whispers among the other teens as she took her seat. Miss Bustier continued her lesson as Kagami surveyed the room. She noticed the blond in the front, Adrien, from fencing. He was alright, she supposed. A decent fencer when they practiced together. Otherwise she had no real opinion on him. Though she did think he needed to be more blunt. 

 

The girl beside him was leaning against him, twirling a finger in her long brown hair. Kagami wrinkled her nose at her. She was pressed against Agreste, which didn't seem too comfortable. She could only assume the girl was flirting. _she's not very subtle_ the teen thought before returning her attention to her notes. Kagami was used to a much different environment, one that was more academic than this school seemed to be. 

 

Class seemed to fly by rather quickly, and as Kagami turned to gather her things she noticed a figure in front of her. They had short pink hair and blue eyes, as well as a black cap. "Can I...help you?" Kagami questioned, watching as Marinette avoided the pink-haired girl's gaze. "...Whoever you are?" The girl crossed her arms in front of her chest, confident looking and almost smug. Kagami was already cautious. 

 

"I'm Alix. You really shouldn't be hanging out with Marinette right now. She's way jealous of Lila. You don't want to be hanging with someone like that!" She waved her hand dismissively. Kagami closed her bag. _Oh, so they're those types of people_ she thought. Marinette was staring intently at the floor as Alix stood, waiting for Kagami's reply. 

 

"Well, Alix, I don't believe you can read my thoughts. And I _would_ like to 'hang out' with Marinette. In fact, Marinette, would you care to meet me in the courtyard?" Marinette looked up at her and nodded. Kagami returned the gesture before walking past the gaping Alix. The teen huffed and stormed out of the room. 

 

Kagami ran into the girl who was clinging to Adrien in the hall. She suppressed a groan of irritation. "I'm really sorry to bother you, Kagami! My name's Lila Rossi, I'm new here, just like you! I just wanted to warn you! Marinette's an awful, manipulative person! She's trying to turn everyone against me," Kagami was surprised to see her able to summon crocodile tears in seconds. "I don't want you to be her next victim!" 

 

"Wow, thanks Lila! You know, you should be an actor! Your lies are _so_ convincing!" Lila's eyes widened with shock. "Unfortunately for you, I know when somebody is lying to me. And I _hate_ liars." She smirked and brushed past the other girl, who seemed to be frozen in place. Kagami didn't know how the others had fallen for that. They must've been extremely naive. 

 

Meanwhile, Marinette was still at her desk. She felt her cheeks warm with blush. Kagami had defended her? That was more than she could say about her other classmates. She realized how long she had been standing there and hurriedly gathered her things and raced out of the door. "Congratulations, Marinette," Lila spoke, venomous and acidic, her gaze harsh and cold. "You've got one person on your side. Let's see how long it lasts." Lila shoved past her and Marinette winced as she hit her elbow on the locker. 

 

She made her way out to the courtyard, seeing Kagami sitting. The sunlight created bright blue highlights in her hair, and she smiled slightly as she noticed Marinette. The bluenette blushed softly before approaching. "Hi, Kagami!" She sat next to her, brushing a few loose strands of hair from her face. Kagami furrowed her brow slightly before turning to her once again. 

 

"What was that girl talking about earlier?" She asked. Marinette sighed, realizing she was talking about Alix. She had probably encountered Lila by now as well. "I don't think you're jealous," she added with a shrug. And Marinette found that fuzzy, warm feeling once again in her chest. She swallowed her doubt and decided to start from the beginning. 

 

"Well, Lila showed up a few days ago. At first I wanted to give her a chance, but then she started lying. And they weren't even believable lies! But everyone started to believe her. And when I tried to prove that she was lying, everyone just...turned on me! They called me their 'everyday Ladybug', and they just thought i'd try to bring someone down because I was jealous! It's like they don't trust me." She huffed as she finished, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "There's a few people I can trust, Luka, Marc, and Aurore, but the others...I don't think I can." 

 

"Well," Kagami replied, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You can trust me. Anyone who can't see she's lying is blind." Marinette nodded her agreement. She could prove that Jagged never had a cat! She had his number. But no, she was being jealous. She was one of his _designers_! "Maybe we could gather proof of some sort," she muttered under her breath. 

 

A loud crash, followed by screaming, interrupted her thoughts. "What the hell was that?!"


	3. Akuma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette is really getting sick of Chat flirting with her, Adrien can't take a hint, and Kagami is fascinated with the badass heroine of Paris.

_Shit, an akuma attack!_ She thought. "Kagami, get somewhere safe. Ladybug will handle this," she instructed, feeling Tikki bump against her hip. The teen tensed, opening her mouth to argue. "Please?" Kagami sighed but nodded, rushing off. "I'll meet up with her once I defeat this akuma," she muttered to herself. She could probably transform in the bathroom. She rushed from the courtyard into the hall and ducked into the first girls bathroom she saw. 

 

"Hopefully Chat will be serious this time!" She spoke. Tikki nodded her large head. "Tikki, Spots On!" She exclaimed, feeling the magic wash over her from her transformation. She leapt out of the room and saw a flash of black leather. Chat Noir. "Chat! Have you seen the akuma?" She called, running over to her partner. He turned and smirked, grabbing her hand. _Ugh, not this again_ she thought. 

 

"Hello, my _purr_ -fect Lovebug. I'm _feline_ the love, are you?" He grinned, leaning down to kiss her hand. Ladybug yanked it away before his lips touched the spandex. "What's the matter, my Lady?" He asked, looking almost pitiful. "Does my beauty-" he was cut off as Ladybug snapped her fingers, her gaze somewhat sharp.

 

"Akuma." Was her only reply, she turned and threw her yo-yo, zipping towards the roof of a nearby building. She hated being curt with Chat, but his flirting did get old. She wasn't interested in him, and she'd told him that several times. But he never gave up! It was starting to get less endearing and more irritating. He needed to focus on the akumas, not kissing her. And while she could deal with puns, his were overly romantic. 

 

She saw the akuma and readied her yo-yo. It was a girl with vines crawling up her arms and legs, supported in the air by the stems of large flowers. Smaller flowers weaved through her brown curls, and her eyes were pure green. She had a short white-pink dress, the middle section of it covered in brambles and vines, forming something like a belt. "I am Mother Nature! We humans have been disrespecting the plants around us for too long!" She exclaimed. 

 

Ladybug dodged a huge, thorn-covered rose vine that was sent in her direction. She noticed the smaller vines and flowers creeping through the town, covering walls and the ground with flora. "Shit," Ladybug whispered, dodging another vine. "Chat Noir! Try to contain the plants on the ground while I find her akumatized item!" She instructed her partner. Chat, however, didn't reply. 

 

"Sorry, my Lady, your beauty distracted me," he grinned. "This is the perfect place to pick some flowers and have a date, hm?" Ladybug growled, clenching her hands into fists. How was he talking about dating when there was an akuma after them?! He plucked a rose, enraging the akuma further. Branches and vines wrapped around teen, snatching him off the roof. 

 

"Chat! That's why you need to pay attention!" She called. Chat was hanging upside down, suspended in the air by the akuma's plants. "Damn it," she grumbled. "Lucky Charm!" She called, throwing her yo-yo into the air. An overly-large pair of garden sheers landed in her hands. "Oooh, that's self-explanatory," she muttered to herself. "But where could her akumatized item be?" She scanned over the woman. Among the flowers covering her body, she noticed one flower that seemed more plastic than the others. "That charm could be it," she muttered.

 

It appeared to be guarded by vines that started around the necklace and trailed down her arms. It looked like it was suspended by a chain of sorts around her neck. "If I can get through those vines and grab that necklace, then I can purify the akuma," she muttered. She ran towards the woman, aiming her yo-yo and the sheers, and snapped through them. Chat yelped as he began to fall, and Ladybug caught him with her yo-yo, hauling him onto the roof. "Not a word," she snapped as he went to, probably, pun or flirt. 

 

"Gah! You _brat!_ Mother Nature spat. She aimed more plants at Ladybug. She avoided them, snipping at them with the sheers. "Sorry, I really don't want to upset my allergies," she shrugged before lunging at the woman and snapping the vines around her neck. She screeched, vines tangling around Ladybug's legs to restrict her movement. Ladybug reached for the necklace, managing to grab the wire and snap the charm off. 

 

The akuma fluttered out and Ladybug turned to Chat. "Restrain her while I purify the butterfly!" He nodded as she went through her usual routine of purifying the butterfly in her yo-yo. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She cried, everything being returned to normal. The woman groaned, looking up at the heroes with confusion. Ladybug helped her back to the ground and turned to her partner. "You. Meet me tonight. We need to talk." Her Miraculous beeped, and she was gone. 

 

She returned to school, detransforming in the bathroom and walking into the hall. "That was Ladybug?" A voice asked. Marinette turned to see Kagami. "That girl who fought the plant woman." Marinette felt relief form in her chest. She hadn't seen her detransform, at least. That was good. 

 

"Yeah! She fights the akumas with Chat Noir," she replied. Kagami didn't seem interested at the mention of Chat Noir. "Ladybug has the power of creation. She's the one who purifies the akumas. Chat Noir has the power of destruction-" she was cut off as Kagami waved her hand, her eyes bright. 

 

"Right, Chat Noir, yes, what more can you tell me about Ladybug?" Marinette blinked, surprised at her interest in the heroine. She told her a few other things about her powers and some of the things she had done for the community. She didn't confess anything that could've revealed her identity. 

 

Kagami seemed interested, and Marinette realized how late it was getting. She wanted to get some homework done before she spoke with Chat. "I've gotta go, but i'll see you tomorrow? I can tell you some more stuff about Ladybug!" Kagami nodded as Marinette rushed in the direction of her house. Kagami touched her fingers lightly to her chest, blushing softly before making her way to her mother's car.


	4. Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ladybug has a talk with Chat and he can't take rejection.

Ladybug met Chat at the Eiffel Tower, their usual meeting spot. He was standing, staring at the horizon. The inky sky was dotted with stars, the moon full and shining off his blond hair. "Chat," she spoke. He turned, his eyes bright and sparkling as he rushed over. She held him back, pressing a finger to his nose. "We need to talk. Seriously." She watched as he tilted his head, ears flopping slightly with his hair. She took a deep breath. "You need to get more serious." 

 

"Whatever do you mean, my Lady?" He questioned, a smile spreading over his face. Ladybug clenched her free hand before unclenching it. "I'm sure you love me, you just don't want to admit it! It's our destiny to get married!" He added. Ladybug tensed at his statement. He thought she was going to _marry_ him? The thought made her want to either burst out laughing or puke. 

 

"Chat. I am not interested in you. I have told you countless times that I am not interested in you! I love somebody else. You need to take a hint! Your flirting is getting in the way of beating akumas. If you can't...if you can't take this seriously, I'll have no choice but to ask the Guardian to get me someone more dedicated," she replied. She wasn't sure if that was a thing she could do, but she needed to be stern. 

 

Chat deflated, shoulders slumped and ears drooping. "So you're not even going to try to love me?" He replied, his voice quiet and almost dull sounding. "Fine. I'm not even surprised." And with that, he was gone. Ladybug sighed before making her way back to her house, detransforming. 

 

"Was I too harsh, Tikki?" She asked her kwami, handing her a cookie. Tikki took a bite, considering the question for a moment. "I mean, I know he probably means well, but..." she trailed off. She looked over at her Adrien pictures. She didn't feel the same giddiness she did when she usually looked at them. 

 

"His flirting was getting in the way of the akuma battles," Tikki replied, "that's dangerous. For you and the civilians around you." Marinette hadn't even considered the thought of a civilian getting injured due to Chat's flirting. The thought sent a shiver up her spine. Someone getting hurt because of them was her worst fear.

 

Meanwhile, Adrien leapt through his window. He detransformed, sobbing heavily. He looked down at his phone to see a text from his 'girlfriend', Lila. He didn't love her. He threw it across the room and it fell with a 'thud'. He knew it was probably broken. He stormed to his small shrine for Ladybug and swept every item onto the floor. The picture frame shattered, the unlit candles crashed with loud noises, the glass cracking, and the plush fell to the ground soundlessly. 

 

He sobbed, hunching over the now empty table. "I hate you, Ladybug," he choked out. He didn't notice the akuma entering his ring until he heard a voice in his head. He looked up, feeling the power surge through him. He heard Plagg somewhere in the background, urging him to fight it. As if he cared what he had to say. Ladybug was going to be punished for this. She would regret not loving him! 

 

"Chat Blanc, I am Hawkmoth. Your precious Ladybug has crushed your heart, and I will give you the power to get revenge! All I seek in return, is Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous!" Hawkmoth spoke. Adrien felt a cheshire grin spread across his face at the idea. Chat Blanc, huh? That rolled off the tongue. 

 

"Yes, Hawkmoth," he replied. He felt the magic wash over him. His kwami muttered something and he turned, grabbing him in a clawed hand and squeezing. "Heh, that was easy," he smirked. "You. What do you know about Ladybug and her kwami?" He demanded. Plagg glared at him, remaining quiet. Chat Blanc growled, squeezing tighter. "Pathetic! Can't even reply," he sneered. 

 

He grabbed a cup and placed Plagg under it. "Pest," he spat, leaping out of the window. Plagg waited until he was gone until he phased out of the cup and flew out of the window. He needed to find Tikki. He darted towards the bakery she lived with her chosen in, phasing through the wall. "Tikki!" He exclaimed. The chosen must've been in another room, as he didn't see her. Tikki turned, surprised. 

 

"Plagg! What're you doing here? Where's Chat Noir?" She asked as she flew over. Plagg glanced at the balcony, eyes darting from side to side. "Plagg...did something happen to Adrien? Is he okay?" She asked once again. Plagg took her to the corner, uncharacteristically quiet and serious appearing. 

 

"Adrien has been akumatized," he replied. Tikki's wide eyes grew wider. "We need Marinette to find someone to work with. Maybe that Rena girl?" Tikki shook her head, appearing stressed. "What's wrong with her?" Plagg asked. Tikki sighed. 

 

"Marinette doesn't trust Alya enough to work effectively enough to work with her, especially after Lila showed up," she replied. "Although...if we give her the dragon Miraculous, it just might work. She could give it to that Kagami girl she met!" She was talking mostly to herself. "Marinette trusts her, they'll be able to work together to stop Adrien and de-akumatize him!" 

 

"Tikki? Who are you talking to?" Marinette had come back from the other room with a handful of fabric. "...Another kwami?" She gestured at Plagg, setting the fabrics on her chair. "What're you doing here? Are you Chat's kwami?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "Is he okay? I feel like I was a bit harsh earlier..." she trailed off. 

 

"The kid's been akumatized. And since you've been having issues with Rena, we were thinking that-" he was cut off by a voice coming from the balcony. Plagg darted away to hide, confusing the teen as Tikki followed, leaving her in her room. She glanced at the balcony, her eyes narrow as she scanned the room for a weapon of any sort.

 

"Hello, _purr_ incess."


	5. Chat Blanc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ladybug confronts Chat Blanc, Kagami patches her up, and Marinette has a new crush.

"C-Chat Noir?!" She yelped, backing herself against the wall. Chat looked almost the same, but his suit was almost pure white, with accents of dark silver on his belt-tail and the toes of his boots, and his green eyes were a vibrant magenta. "You look...different," she said after a moment, sweeping her eyes over the white of his suit. He smirked at her, sharp and intimidating looking. The opposite of Chat Noir. 

 

"It's Chat Blanc to you, sweetie," he replied. His staff was in his hand, the other one pressed against her desk. "I just wanted to stop by. I won't hurt you, Mari, but...you said you were friends with Ladybug, hm? If you see her, tell her this is her fault. And tell her to meet me at the Eiffel Tower. Alone." And with that, he was gone. Marinette took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. 

 

"He wants alone, he'll get it. Tikki, Spots On!" She felt the magic of her transformation wash over her and gripped her yo-yo tightly. "Chat's kwami, stay here in case anything happens," she instructed, zipping out of her window. She landed on a nearby roof. "I can take Chat Noir. I've taken him before," she reminded herself. She threw her yo-yo and made her way closer to the Eiffel Tower. She tried to fight the feelings of dread and anxiety growing in her chest.

 

"Chat Noir." She greeted as she landed, her steps light and her yo-yo in hand. "Or should I say, Chat Blanc?" He turned, sneering at her. His magenta eyes seemed to glow, and he chuckled, lifting a clawed hand. Ladybug positioned herself to dodge an attack, her eyes sharp. Chat's sneer turned into a Cheshire grin. "Let me help you, Chat," she attempted, her gaze growing softer. 

 

"Hah! You can't help me! This is _your_ fault!" Chat replied, his voice sharp and scratchy. He lunged at Ladybug, his hand outstretched. Ladybug ducked, her heart pounding and her breathing increased. She leapt above him and aimed her yo-yo. Chat snarled and leapt to the other side. "Your pathetic toy won't stop me, Ladybug! Everybody will feel my suffering! Including you!" Ladybug fell back to the metal platform, looking into Chat's eyes. She saw nothing but malice and spite. 

 

He leapt at her again, baring his teeth. "Cataclysm," he whispered. The magic appeared at his fingertips and he laughed, sharp and angry and malice-filled. Ladybug dodged, leaping away. The beam behind her turned to nothing, but his Cataclysm didn't disappear like it usually did. His ring still had five paw-pads. _Shit, his akumatization must allow him to use Cataclysm multiple times!_ she thought.

 

"Chat-" she yelped as Chat pressed his Cataclysm-charged hand to the floor. It cracked and crumbled below the two heroes. Ladybug ran towards Chat, grabbing his arm and wrapping her yo-yo around one of the thick beams of the Tower. "Chat-don't let go!" She exclaimed. He might've been akumatized, but she didn't want him to die. Chat sneered at her, adjusting his grip and digging his clawed fingers through her suit. They sank deep into her flesh, drawing blood. He dragged them down, leaving long, red gashes. 

 

Ladybug screamed, yanking her hand away instinctively. Chat grinned as he fell. "Chat!" She screamed. He used his staff to barely avoid injury, leaping away into the night. Ladybug stared helplessly at her situation. Chat had gotten away, she was hurt, and she was dangling from her yo-yo like some damsel. She let out a frustrated noise before swinging up and landing on another beam. "Damn it, cat," she huffed. "Guess I'll need backup." 

 

She looked down at her arm. There were long, bleeding gashes starting from the middle of her forearm and going down to her wrist. They weren't very deep or wide, but they were long, and she didn't want an infection. She couldn't go to Alya, and she had run out of thread yesterday, so she couldn't stitch herself up at home either. She sighed, leaping from roof to roof, using her yo-yo with her free arm. 

 

"Ladybug?" A familiar voice spoke. Ladybug turned, noticing a somewhat tired looking Kagami. "Are you alright? You look distressed," she stated. Ladybug looked down at her arm, then back at Kagami. _I trust her. Besides, it's not like I can go to Alya or Nino anymore. Or Adrien._ She took a deep breath before giving the other bluenette a crooked, awkward smile. 

 

"You don't happen to know how to take care of...cat scratches, do you?" She asked. Kagami raised an eyebrow but gestured for Ladybug to follow her. The heroine did so, gazing around the room. There were a few posters, a laptop, a stack of schoolbooks, and a sword in the corner. Ladybug took a seat on the bed, watching as Kagami returned with a medical kit. 

 

She examined the wounds quickly. "They aren't too deep or wide, so they shouldn't need stitches. I'll make sure they don't get infected and wrap them up. If you change the bandages they should heal up well," she stated, grabbing some sort of ointment and a roll of bandages. Ladybug nodded, watching Kagami work.

 

Her movements were fluid and swift, her brown eyes focused on her actions. Ladybug felt her cheeks and the tips of her ears grow warm, knowing she was probably blushing heavily. Marinette had only felt like this with...Adrien? But she had a _crush_ on Adrien. Unless..."Ladybug? Are you alright? I finished, by the way." Ladybug looked down to find her arm bandaged up. 

 

"Oh, right! Thanks, but I really should get going. It's uh, getting late. Wouldn't want you to get to held up! Thanks again, though, I should-I already said that. Bye!" She leapt out of the window. Kagami blinked before going to put the medical kit away, somewhat confused as to why Ladybug had suddenly gotten so flustered. 

 

Marinette landed on her roof, looking down at her trapdoor. "I have a crush on Kagami. I am _fucked_!"


	6. Miraculous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *breaks neck*  
> Whoo looking through the ML Salt tag on Tumblr has given me d e s i r e t o w r i t e 
> 
> In which Marinette can't bring herself to trust Alya, Kagami gets the dragon Miraculous, and Chat Blanc speaks with Hawkmoth.

Marinette sat at her desk, staring at her phone. She had blocked Alya's number ever since the Lila incident. She had grown tired of the constant 'jealous' messages. But now, she knew she needed a partner. She couldn't face Chat Blanc alone. But...could she trust Alya? If she couldn't even bring herself to unblock a number, how could they work together as Rena Rouge and Ladybug? But she _needed_ a partner to back her up! She tried to think of someone she knew that she could trust. 

 

 _Not Nino. Not Chloe. Not Adrien. Ugh! All my classmates believe Lila over me. I need someone I can fully trust!_ She lowered her forehead to her desk and she groaned softly, trying to think. _Think, think, think Marinette! Who do you trust enough to work with to deakumatize Chat?_ Her eyes suddenly flew open and she lifted her head once again, her thoughts clearing slightly. 

 

 _Kagami_. The name startled her with how quickly it came to her mind. Well, she did trust her. But she wasn't sure if she'd fit the fox Miraculous. "Tikki, didn't you say there's a dragon Miraculous?" She turned to her Kwami. Chat's had fallen asleep on her desk. Tikki turned to her, eyes wider than normal and shining. Marinette stood, tugging at her pigtails. If she could get that and give it to Kagami, then she could get closer to beating Chat Blanc.

 

"Yes! Who were you thinking of giving it to? Alya's already got the fox Miraculous." Marinette faltered at the thought of Alya. Her friend would definitely be upset about not being given the Miraculous. But trust was an important part of combat. She had learned that with Chat Noir. As he became more clingy and desperate, Ladybug had trusted him less. And that had thrown off their abilities. She needed someone she could rely on. Besides, Kagami was already a great fencer. That could come in handy as well. 

 

"Kagami," she replied. Tikki tilted her head slightly. Marinette had told her about the fencer who she'd met at school. The Kwami could tell her chosen enjoyed the girl's company, especially when she was in her bag. "I trust her to work with me in battle. And besides, she is a fencer. She's definitely got combat training. Chat Blanc is destructive, we need to work on stopping him as soon as possible." Tikki nodded. "Alright, Tikki, Spots On!" She exclaimed. She felt the magic wash over her and readied her yo-yo. 

 

Ladybug made her way to Master Fu, trying to spot any sign of her former partner along the way. She couldn't see or hear him. It didn't help to unnerve her. He was out there, somewhere, still akumatized. And that was dangerous. She needed to get the Miraculous, give it to Kagami, and deakumatize him. "Master Fu?" She called, tilting her head slightly, her voice somewhat tense. She needed to get out there.

 

"Ah, Ladybug, what brings you here?" Ladybug gave him a small nod, her eyes sharp and her yo-yo in her hand. She took a deep breath. She could almost hear Chat's malice-filled voice. _Shit, must be Blanc!_ Ladybug thought, turning to Fu with a determined and dark look. Ladybug steeled herself with determination. 

 

"Chat Noir has been akumatized. Do you know anything about a dragon Miraculous?" Fu nodded and Ladybug followed him. He opened the box containing the magical objects. The older man handed Ladybug a black necklace with a bead hanging off of it. Ladybug quickly thanked the man before swinging out of the window. "Right, just gotta get this to Kagami, and then we can go after Chat." She muttered to herself. 

 

Ladybug managed to remember the appearance and general direction of Kagami's house. "I hope this isn't weird," she mumbled. It was too late for second thoughts, as she leapt onto the roof. "Right, how am I going to do this..." she tapped her foot on the roof before deciding that she could use the small platform outside of the window. She leapt down, quickly squatting and tapping on the window with her knuckles, the dragon Miraculous firmly clasped in her free hand. 

 

Kagami opened the window a few minutes later. Ladybug leaned back slightly. "Ladybug?" She asked. Ladybug gave her a slight half smile. Kagami stepped back to allow the heroine to enter her room. Ladybug took the invitation. She took a deep breath. "Did you want something?" Kagami asked, tilting her head slightly. Ladybug revealed the Miraculous. Kagami blinked at it, confused. 

 

"Kagami Tsurugi, I have chosen you to wield the dragon Miraculous to help me defeat Chat Blanc." Kagami slowly took the necklace, examined it, and slipped it on. A small, dragon-like creature appeared in front of the two of them. It's base color was red, with multiple black horns on their forehead and on each cheek. The upper back of their head had two more horns, red-based with black spirals. They had two long whiskers near their mouth and golden eyes. They had two black spikes on the lower region of their back and a long tail.

 

"My name is Longg, pleasure 'ta meet you," they greeted. Kagami didn't seem overly shocked as the creature held out a nubby limb. She gripped it in two fingers and shook it. "Woah! You're Tikki's chosen!" They exclaimed. "I suppose something has happened?" Ladybug nodded, somewhat quieter than usual. "Well then, I suppose I should teach you of my transformation, hm?" They addressed Kagami. Ladybug took the opportunity to slip back outside. 

 

Ladybug waited until she heard footsteps behind her. Kagami's suit was red, with a scaled pattern. Her forearms, waist, and legs were black with shimmering golden accents. Her mask matched her suit, with two points below her eyes accented in black and gold. Her eyes had taken a brighter amber hue, the sclera a paler shade of the iris color. 

 

Four horns, two on each side, poked through her midnight hair. They were red, a thick line of black near the top, the point colored gold. On her back was a long sword, the handle was black with accents of gold like her suit. "Woah," Marinette muttered. Kagami smiled, though it was somewhat tense. 

 

Chat Blanc sat on the rooftop as the glowing, butterfly shaped mask formed around his eyes. " _Must I remind you of your agenda, Chat Blanc?"_ Hawkmoth's voice was familiar, cold and harsh. Demanding in a way. It wasn't something knew. The former hero knew that tone well. 

 

"No, Hawkmoth," he replied. His tone was emotionless, his vision hued with purple as the villain spoke. "I have to get Ladybug's Miraculous to bring back mother." He added. The thought of getting his mother back sent a powerful shiver up his spine. Hawkmoth chuckled in his ears. 

 

" _Good, you do remember your purpose,_ " he replied. _"I won't wait forever, Adrien._ " Chat Blanc stiffened at the use of his civilian name. Hawkmoth knew, of course, but it was still unnerving. 

 

"Yes, father."


	7. Dragoness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Dragoness and Ladybug confront Chat Blanc, Hawkmoth is getting fed up, and Nathalie contemplates.

The two heroines leapt from roof-top to rooftop. Kagami's movements were fluid and skilled. Ladybug found her face slightly red as the two scoured Paris for Chat Blanc. Ladybug frowned at the seeming lack of her former partner. "Where would he be?" The spotted heroine grumbled. "We've got to find him soon. Who knows what he's going to do?" She added, somewhat louder. Kagami nodded, determination in her amber eyes. 

 

The two searched for at least another hour, one taking the left side of Paris, one taking the right. They regrouped in the middle, both tired and irritated. "Perhaps he left? Or he is hiding?" Kagami suggested. Ladybug nodded. That was likely. If they hadn't found him on the rooftops or streets, he was likely hiding. Perhaps inside. It was unlikely he would leave the city. Especially akumatized. 

 

Two small _taps_ sounded from behind the two girls. They both took their weapons out, Ladybug grabbing her yo-yo and Kagami unsheathing her sword. "Replaced me already, my Lady?" A harsh voice chuckled. Ladybug turned and glared at the white-suited man. "I must say, I am truly hurt!" He pouted. That pout turned into a sneer. "Were you really so desperate to bring the dragon Miraculous out?" He laughed harshly. 

 

Kagami tensed at the insult, clutching her weapon. Chat surged forward, his clawed hand outstretched as he tackled Ladybug. The heroine glared up at him as he pinned her free arm and reached for her earrings. She kicked him, admittedly aiming near his dick, and flipped out from under the cat-themed akuma. Chat landed with a thud, curling in on himself slightly.

 

Ladybug reached for her yo-yo, only to find it had slipped out of her grasp when Chat had tackled her. "Shit," she swore. Chat realized her situation and chuckled. Ladybug examined the area around her. "Distract him while I grab my yo-yo!" She instructed Kagami. The dragon-themed hero nodded and lunged at Chat Blanc. The akumatized villain sneered at her, blocking her sword with his staff. 

 

"Who even are you?!" Chat demanded, his voice harsh and sharp as he pushed against the blade of her sword with his staff. The clanking of metal was loud, Kagami blocking his every move with precision and skilled agility. "You're not Rena Rouge, or Carapace, or even Queen Bee! Did she get desperate enough to find a random nobody?" He snarled, his tone rising, anger evident in his tone. 

 

"You can refer to me as Dragoness. Not that it matters," Dragoness shrugged. "You really should focus on your movements instead of your trash-talk. It's not very good," she added with a confident grin. Chat snarled, leaping back. Kagami readied her sword again, turning to look at Ladybug. She had retrieved her yo-yo, readying her own weapon.

 

A string wrapped around Chat Blanc's staff and yanked it from his gloved hand. It brought the weapon to Ladybug's open hand. "Whoops!" She teased, twirling the long metal staff in her hand. Chat glowered at the teen, fingers tensing and eye twitching. He chuckled, dark and hate-filled. 

 

"Cataclysm!" He called out. The familiar magic swarmed at his fingertips. His gaze flicked from Ladybug to Dragoness, as if he was deciding which teen to attack first. Dragoness took the opportunity to lunge at the akuma, tackling him to the floor and pinning him. She leaned down close to his face, her sword still in her hand. 

 

"You hesitated," she smirked down at him. Chat's nose wrinkled, and before Kagami could realize what he was doing, his cataclysm charged hand had wrapped around the blade of her weapon. Kagami's eyes widened as Chat Blanc kicked her off. "Ah shit," she muttered, looking at the sword-less hilt. She returned the weapon to the holder on her back and watched as Chat Blanc used his staff to seemingly disappear. 

 

The two teens exchanged a glance, attempting to locate the akuma, but it was as if he had fully vanished into the night. "Well then," Dragoness muttered as Ladybug used her 'Miraculous Ladybug' Power. The minimal damage had been restored, but neither were satisfied with the outcome. Chat had gotten away, and they hadn't even gotten close to getting his akumatized item. 

 

"Let's go investigate."

 

Hawkmoth let out an irritated noise, running a hand down his face. "How can he be beat by a new Miraculous user and that pathetic bug?!" He slammed his hand down, eye twitching. "I need that Miraculous!" He exclaimed. His muscles tense, he didn't notice as Nathalie entered the room soundlessly.

 

"Sir?" She spoke, causing the man to turn to glance at his assistant, white butterflies fluttering around the room. "Perhaps you require assistance?" Hawkmoth scoffed slightly at the suggestion. He turned, facing his assistant with cold eyes. "Adrien seems to not be able to achieve your goal. He has failed twice in getting the earrings." 

 

"He will succeed if he knows what's good for him," Hawkmoth replied sharply. "I believe you should leave. We'll need to excuse his absence in class tomorrow. Make up a photo-shoot, or a sickness," he added, waving her off. Nathalie nodded and exited the butter-fly filled room. She walked down the hall, keeping her emotionless expression. 

 

Hawkmoth watched Ladybug and the new holder, Dragoness. He wondered why it wasn't Rena Rouge, or Queen Bee. Or even Carapace. This was a new user, and a threat to his plan. She seemed skilled with the blade she used. She also seemed agile, flexible. He needed to find some sort of weakness in order for Chat Blanc to take her down. He knew Ladybug's abilities, but Dragoness' were a mystery. 

 

Nathalie stopped and glanced at the safe, tense as she considered her options. Akumas didn't work. They hadn't achieved Ladybug's Miraculous, and while Chat Noir was akumatized, he wasn't any closer to getting the prized objects. Nathalie swallowed thickly. Gabriel wanted his wife back. Gabriel _needed_ her back.

 

The word 'wife' caused an uncomfortable pang in Nathalie's chest. She knew it was wrong. Gabriel would never feel anything other than rare platonic affection towards her. She pushed aside her jealousy and worries, adjusted her clipboard, and strode past it, making a mental note of her plan.


	8. Salty Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette really wishes she could skip, some of the classmates are salty, and Kagami has a plan. 
> 
> (Note: Jagged's gonna be coming in a few chapters so be hype uwu)

Ladybug sighed as she detransformed, entering her room. She had allowed Kagami to keep the dragon Miraculous that night. They still needed to beat Blanc. She crawled over to her desk and sat in her chair, opening her sketchbook. Sketching always gave her ideas. She looked over at her clock and yelped. It was two am on a _Monday_! She had school in the morning, and she had already missed enough class.

 

"Tikki, what if Chat attacks again?" She questioned her Kwami. "I can't just ditch. My parents will know!" Marinette groaned, shoving her sketchbook into her backpack and turning to her Kwami, who looked tired as well. "Maybe I can just...go to school, and if Blanc appears, I can transform and go after him! Then I'll be able to get back to class and protect my identity!" Tikki nodded before drifting off next to Chat's Kwami.

 

She passed out a few minutes later, face half squished into her pillow and a leg dangling off her bed. The alarm of her phone buzzed through the room hours later and she groaned. Tikki shook her shoulder softly. "Marinette! Time go get up!" Her high-pitched voice spoke. Marinette silenced her alarm and she sat up. Her hair was messy and loose and her eyes squinted as she looked over at the clock.

 

" _ShitWell, I need help defeating Blanc, for starters._ Marinette thought, though one nagged at the back of her head.

 

Was Chat going to keep the ring? He had gotten akumatized and worked with Hawkmoth because Ladybug didn't return his feelings. And he wasn't focused during akuma attacks either. That was dangerous, like Tikki had said. Marinette realized she had zoned out and returned her attention to the conversation. People were arguing over something. Probably Dragoness keeping the Miraculous while the others were unable to.

 

"Students! Calm down!" The teacher spoke, calming the growing argument. "We've still got work to do. You can discuss Ladybug later! Now, let's continue." Marinette zoned out once again, her mind still on Chat Blanc. She rubbed her temple and wrote down the notes on the board hurriedly. She needed to at least pass her classes while dealing with her former partner. Getting detention wouldn't do her any good.

 

The class passed in a dull blur and Marinette was glad to find it over. She had a plan to meet with Dragoness to discuss their strategy. She hadn't had one the past few fights, and she suspected that was one of her main weaknesses. She needed a plan, something to take Chat off guard and get the ring. Maybe Kagami could come up with something? She did seem good with strategies and tactics, especially when fighting.

 

"Marinette!" Alya called as she went to leave. "Can you believe this? She completely ignored Rena!" Alya pouted. Marinette swallowed heavily. "What do you think?" She pried, leaning forward. Marinette leaned back. She wanted to catch up to Kagami, but it was probably too late to do that by now. "You like Rena, right?" Marinette huffed, growing somewhat irritated of Alya acting like everything was normal.

 

"Like Kagami said, Ladybug's not stupid. She has a strategy, and Dragoness is probably part of it." Alya's face fell. "Now if you excuse me, I need to get to my next class." She hurried past Alya before the blogger could say anything. She tried to spot Kagami, but she figured that the girl had already gotten to her next class. Marinette had stayed a few extra minutes, packing up and trying to refocus her thoughts.

 

Marinette could barely remember what she had done that day when school ended. She made her way silently down the sidewalk until she reached her house, greeting her parents and going upstairs after grabbing a macaron and taking a bite, still lost in thought. "Are you alright, Marinette?" Tikki asked once she reached her room. Marinette hummed and put her bag in the corner, handing the kwami the rest of the sweet she'd taken.

 

"I'm fine, Tikki!" She replied. "Just thinking about Chat Blanc. I should try to meet up with Kagami to get a plan figured out." Tikki nodded. Marinette decided to lay her homework out on her desk. "Mom, dad! I'm doing homework up here!" She called down, getting the normal 'okay' reply. She waited until Tikki finished her macaron, throwing her hair into her normal pigtails. Once Tikki finished, she walked out to the balcony.

 

"Tikki, Spots on!" She exclaimed. She transformed and grabbed her yo-yo, zipping off of the balcony and through the city. Wind blew through her hair and across her face as she landed on a nearby roof. She ran a hand through her hair and surveyed the area. "Let's see..." she mumbled to herself.

 

"I'm glad to see you've arrived." Ladybug squeaked and turned to see Dragoness behind her, eyes reflecting the moonlight and a slight smirk on her face. Ladybug exhaled, slightly shakily, but she smiled as well. She was glad that it was Dragoness and not Chat Blanc. She didn't want to fight him alone.

 

"You scared me!" She said, giggling slightly, though she wasn't sure why. Dragoness gave her a slightly apologetic look before clearing her throat and standing straight, a determined look in her gaze as she walked closer to Ladybug. The pigtailed teen blinked, somewhat confused at the change in demeanor.

 

"I have a plan to stop Chat Blanc." She spoke. Ladybug perked up slightly as Dragoness met her gaze. "We need to be one step ahead of him. The element of surprise. We'll make him think you've come alone, and then we both strike. We need to go for the ring so he cannot use his Cataclysm on either of us, or our weapons."

 

Ladybug thought that made sense. "That...that might just work! How are we going to execute it, though? There aren't many places to hide around here, and we haven't seen him yet tonight." Kagami smiled almost confidently as she walked towards the edge of the roof and turned to look at Ladybug.

 

"Eiffel Tower in five minutes. Trust me."


	9. Defeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan works, Chat's ring is taken, and Marinette sees a new side of her crush...former crush?

Ladybug stood on the Eiffel Tower, swaying back and forth slightly as she waited. Dragoness was hiding, concealed in the shadows as the two teens waited for Chat Blanc to make an appearance. Ladybug had a tight grip on her yo-yo, trying to give herself a sense of security. She knew Dragoness would be ready to strike, but she was still nervous. It was too...quiet. Who knew what Hawkmoth was planning? 

 

She'd been waiting for at least half an hour, and she was starting to get restless. She tapped her foot against the solid material of the tower. The _one_ time she wanted to see Chat Blanc, he was nowhere in sight. "Figures," she grumbled. She fidgeted with her yo-yo, running her spandex-covered fingers over the smooth material of her weapon. 

 

The plan was simple enough. They'd lure Chat Blanc out of hiding by using Ladybug as a target, then wait for him to get distracted and have Dragoness subdue him. So she was waiting, wind blowing through her two midnight pigtails as she did so. "C'mon, kitty kitty. I've got some tuna for ya~" she called out. 

 

"M'lady~" A voice chimed from the shadows. Ladybug tensed. "It's nice to finally see you alone, without that pesky wanna-be me." Ladybug wanted to laugh in his face, but she knew she had to be calm. "What brings you here alone? You know you can't beat me." He chuckled, glancing down at his clawed gloves. Ladybug swallowed her nerves. 

 

"You're after me, aren't you?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "Here I am." Chat approached, grabbing his staff in one gloved hand. "Dragoness isn't here. You know I eventually take the Miraculous back from the holder. You haven't seen Rena or Carapace around lately, have you?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. 

 

"I suppose not," he replied sharply, walking towards her. "Your Miraculous, hand it over!" He exclaimed. Ladybug rolled her eyes. _Does he think i'm that stupid?_ she pondered. Then again, perhaps it was Hawkmoth's stupidity rubbing off on him. The villain had akumatized a _baby _before.__

__

__"Nah, I don't think I will!" She replied with a smirk, grasping her yo-yo. Chat hissed at her, leaping towards her with an outstretched hand. Ladybug dodged, leaping over him with impressive flexibility, landing on her feet and seeing Dragoness. She was moving closer, eyes glowing faintly in the dark, but she didn't strike yet. "Ooh, tough luck, fish-breath!" She smirked._ _

__

__Chat growled, lunging at her again. "Cataclysm!" He screamed. Ladybug dodged just in time, but he managed to destroy one of the metal beams. Ladybug winced. She wanted to avoid that. She didn't know what effect a Cataclysm attack would have on a person, but it definitely wouldn't be a good one. The thought made her shudder. '_ _

__

__Ladybug swung her yo-yo and wrapped the string around his weapon. She yanked on it. It was pulled out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Ladybug pulled it towards her, clutching it tightly in her free hand. Chat made an irritated noise as Ladybug held his weapon. "Ooh, duel-wielding," she grinned. Chat didn't laugh at her stupid joke, simply running at her._ _

__

__Ladybug dodged once again, looking behind Chat. She spotted glowing eyes once again. Dragoness seemed closer, which relieved her slightly. She dodged another attack from his clawed gloves. Ladybug bit her bottom lip, growing a bit worried. Chat was growing more irritated, more irrational and almost animalistic in his movements._ _

__

__Chat raised his hand to summon his Cataclysm again, only to be leapt at. He screeched as Dragoness pinned him, struggling and squirming below the newest hero. Ladybug's eyes sparked. _Impressive,_ she thought, _but can't let him get away with his ring._ She approached him, crouching down. Kagami had him held to the iron beams as Ladybug grabbed his wrist. _ _

__

__She took a deep breath. She hadn't thought that she'd find out who her partner was this way. She thought it would be mutual. Maybe even romantic, if he calmed down a bit. But here he was, normally black suit ivory white, a sneer on his normally kind face. Ladybug realized she'd been stalling, that hesitating further could further endanger the two heroines._ _

__

__She slipped the ring quickly from his finger and looked down at it. It looked different than the normal Miraculous, perhaps due to the akumatization. She managed to break it, the akuma fluttering out. She swung her yo-yo in a circle, eyeing the insect. "No more evil-doing for you, little akuma!" She exclaimed. "Time to de-evilize!"_ _

__

__Once she finished, she released the small creature. "Bye bye, little butterfly," she spoke softly to it as it fluttered away, completely oblivious to its previous actions or its evilization. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She exclaimed. A flurry of small Ladybugs swept over the area, restoring any damage done during the fight._ _

__

__"Wh-at happened?" Ladybug froze. No. No way. Chat Blanc, Chat _Noir_ wasn't Adrien. "Why are you on top of me?!" She looked down, paling. Styled blond hair, flawless skin, a white jacket and a black shirt. He looked up at her with annoyance. "Oh. Ladybug." He grumbled, wrinkling his nose. _ _

__

__"A-Adrien?!" She exclaimed. Dragoness looked confused. "Y-You're...Chat Noir?!" Why didn't she feel all fluttery seeing him? Why wasn't she fumbling over her words and choking on her own tongue? Why did she just see him as...Adrien. Gabriel's son. A classmate. She tried to ignore the Chat part, and still nothing became warm and fuzzy feeling in her chest._ _

__

__Dragoness released the teen, who stood and dusted himself off. "I'll get you for this, Ladybug. You'll regret rejecting me," he spat. "...Shit, the ring," he mumbled to himself as he walked off. _I'll help in another way,_ he promised silently, _I won't let you down father._ He was gone after a few minutes. Ladybug was still pale. _ _

__

__"You rejected Agreste? Agreste is Noir?" Ladybug didn't reply, looking down at the silver ring in her palm. She had a feeling that she hadn't seen the last of Adrien. And she definitely had a feeling he wasn't going to leave Hawkmoth's side. And she definitely knew the pedestal she'd absentmindedly placed him on had crumbled, nothing but rubble._ _

__

__"Yeah. And we haven't seen the last of him. Or Hawkmoth."_ _


	10. Conflicted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette's conflicted and Big Bi, the class is Shook, and Mari gets a series of texts from a certain rock star.

Adrien wasn't in class the next day. Everybody had seen the news. Seen him revert back from his akumatized state. Everyone knew he was Chat Noir. "Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir!" Was a common phrase in the hallways. People were gushing over both sides of him. Marinette, however, was conflicted. 

 

On one hand, she had admired Adrien ever since he gave her his umbrella. And Chat's puns had been endearing and almost cute at the start. On the other, Adrien didn't have much of a spine, refusing to stand up against Lila's lies and being upset she was happy her bully was leaving. And Chat had become clingy, almost Nice Guy-ish within the past month or so. 

 

Marinette sighed, thudding her head onto her desk, loose midnight hair splayed over the wood. Marinette glanced slightly to the side. Kagami was sat beside her, silently observing the class with her arms crossed over her chest. Marinette felt her face grow warm as she averted her bluebell gaze. 

 

"Can you believe Adrien is Chat Noir?!"

 

"Did you see how Ladybug was looking at him! So much romantic tension!"

 

"Ladynoir! They'll be even closer now!"

 

"I wonder if Ladybug will take the Dragon Miraculous now."

 

"Course she will! Chat isn't akumatized anymore. They're a duo!" 

 

Marinette growled softly under her breathe, fingers curling into a fist. She wanted to explode. Kagami seemed irritated by the dismissal of Dragoness, but remained silent. "You all realize that Dragoness came _up_ with the plan that stopped Chat Blanc, don't you? Ladybug even credited her!" She was ignored as the class crowded around Lila. Of course. 

 

Lila had told the others she was 'Ladybug's best friend', so they'd obviously trust her. "Well, being Ladybug's best friend and all, I don't want to spill too much information, but..." she fluttered her eyelashes with a faux innocent expression, "she told _me_ she didn't really care about Dragoness, but Rena Rouge wasn't very useful for stopping Chat Blanc, so she chose a nobody. Dragoness will be gone by tonight," she smiled sincerely. 

 

Kagami's knuckles were white from how tightly she was clutching her pencil, muscles tense and eyes narrowed. Marinette rolled her eyes as Lila spewed out more lies. They'd be sorely disappointed when Rena didn't make another appearance. And neither would Chat Noir. She had given Fu the ring after Adrien had stormed off. 

 

"Students, settle down! It's time for class to start!" The teacher exclaimed. The gossip died down. Marinette was still tense. She was still sure she hadn't seen the last of Chat Blanc, or Adrien. Hawkmoth was still out there. Adrien was still bitter. It was a 50/50 chance that Adrien would join up with Hawkmoth again, but she was...still somewhat trusting him to make the right choice. 

 

She was excused once she asked to use the bathroom. She hurried past her classmates and walked quickly to the bathroom. It was, thankfully, empty. She opened her purse and looked down. To a passerby, it would look like the teen was talking to her open purse, but she didn't have to worry about that at the moment. 

 

"Tikki, i'm worried. I know it's only been a day since Chat Blanc was de-akumatized, but he still seemed angry at me. What if he teams up with Hawkmoth again? What if Hawkmoth knows he's Chat Noir?!" She was starting to panic slightly, and Tikki gave her a reassuring smile. Marinette took a calming breath. 

 

"I'm sure it will be fine, Marinette!" Tikki replied. "I'll tell you if I sense another akuma. Besides, I think you should be worrying more about your crush on Kagami~" Tikki teased. The Kwami giggled as Marinette turned bright red, confirming it. Marinette groaned, laying her head in her hands. 

 

That was a whole other issue. The way Kagami made her feel was the way Adrien _used_ to make her feel. All fluttery and warm and fuzzy. She wasn't sure the other girl felt the same way, though. Kagami was refined and confident and elegant. Marinette was a mess, standing in the bathroom blushing almost as red as the Ladybug suit. 

 

She made her way over to the sinks, splashing her face with water to try and calm herself down. She dried her face with a scratchy paper towel, zipped her purse, and decided to make her way back to class. She yelped as she was met with Kagami. "Gah! Kagami! How..how long have-have you been standing there?"

 

"A minute or so," Kagami shrugged. Marinette couldn't decipher any emotion in her voice. _Maybe she didn't hear Tikki?_ "The teacher sent me to check on you, since you were gone for a few minutes. I thought I heard a voice, but I didn't see anyone else enter or exit," she quirked a brow slightly. Marinette stuttered out an excuse, face bright red as she made small, nervous gestures. Kagami shrugged. 

 

"I-I'm fine! Just uh-had to respond to a text or two from my parents about the bakery!" She lied. Kagami nodded, seeming to buy it as the two walked off. Marinette was still somewhat nervous, but she ignored the feeling as she entered the classroom with Kagami, returning to her seat and hurriedly copying the rest of the notes on the board. 

 

The rest of school passed normally, a blur of math and science and the normal subjects. Marinette hoped Tikki remembered to tell her about her homework. Otherwise, it'd never get done. "Marinette!" Kagami called out. Marinette turned to see the other girl blushing slightly, a faint dusting of red on her cheeks. "I was thinking, in a few days, I could stop by the bakery?" Marinette tried to keep from squealing like a dying animal as she nodded. 

 

"Of course!" She replied. Kagami smiled, small and close-mouthed, but genuine as she waved and walked off. Marinette returned the gesture and decided to pull out her phone to listen to music while she walked home. She realized she had a new text, quirking a brow slightly. "Hm? Who's this from?" She thought aloud. 

 

 _Hey, Marinette! It's Penny Rolling. Jagged Stone is stopping by Paris soon, and he was hoping you could show him the progress you've made on the suit he requested awhile ago?_

 

Marinette's eyes widened. Jagged was coming to Paris again? Interesting. Probably not the best time, but it'd be fun to introduce Kagami to Jagged. She thought of him as an uncle. Of course she was going to introduce her cru-her _friend_ to him. She realized she needed to respond to the text. 

 

_Hey, Penny! That'd be fine, I actually wanted to ask for some of his input soon anyways! Just contact me when you guys get here and I'll try to find a time I'm free to meet up!_


	11. Best Uncle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOAH IT'S BEEN AWHILE AHAHAHSDFJGNHJ uhh I randomly got motivation for this so take a chapter with two of the best beans in the show. (and no, you can't change my mind)

Marinette was in the bakery when she heard the loud chatter and the flashing of cameras. _Unless we got famous overnight,_ she thought, _Jagged must be here_. She put down the bag of chocolate chips in her hand and adjusted her appearance slightly, wiping off her hands as the door opened. "Uncle Jagged!" She chirped, stepping out from behind the counter. 

 

An arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Mari! How's my favorite designer been doing?" Marinette smiled at him, watching as Penny dealt with the press. She was glad that the man who was akumatized wasn't back again. She didn't really want to fight an akuma at the moment. She still had to deal with Chat Noir and properly introduce Dragoness. 

 

"I've been..." she trailed off. "Decent? I guess?" She replied with a shrug. Jagged noticed the conflicted look she gave. "I'd just rather talk about it in...private." Jagged nodded as Fang waited eagerly by his side. Marinette glanced over to see Penny _trying_ to deal with all of the press.

 

"Tell ya' what, i'll go talk with your parents for a minute, and deal with all these annoying pests, and then you can start from the beginning. Sound good?" Marinette smiled softly and nodded, making her way to her room. Having someone to vent to would be nice. And besides, she could trust Jagged. 

 

Her walls seemed empty now that they lacked photos of a certain blond model. After the reveal seeing Adrien's face everywhere made her anxious. They were tucked neatly in a box under her bed, hidden by discarded papers and loose fabric. Some of the Adrien pictures had already been replaced, aesthetics or work in progress designs, but there were far less of them. "The less I have to see of Adrien, the better," she reminded herself. 

 

The door opened and for a moment she tensed, but she instantly relaxed when Jagged stepped through. "So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" He asked, sitting beside her on her bed. Marinette paused. What did she want to talk about? Certainly not Ladybug business. Even though she wanted to shout 'Spots On!' and rant to Jagged for hours about everything that'd happened. It was too risky. 

 

"There's a... _girl_ at my school, she just transferred a bit ago. And y'know, at first everything was fine. But then she started lying a lot. Like- smaller things at first. But then they got bigger and now everyone hates me because I tried to call her out," she sighed. "She said you had a cat, and she damaged her ears saving it. So they put her in the front, Nino took my seat and I got put in the back with no say in it." She shook her head. "It just got worse from there."

 

Jagged's jaw was clenched as she continued. "Alya told me I was just jealous because she was close to Adrien, and nobody else stood up for me. Which sucks because I thought I could trust them!" She glanced at the floor. "Lila threatened me in the bathroom." She could feel Jagged tense further beside her. "She said she'd turn everyone against me if I didn't stop trying to expose her." She felt the familiar feeling of tears and tried to blink them away. 

 

She took a deep breath and composed herself. "And uh- turns out my crush, the blonde guy, isn't that great." _Well, that's the understatement of the century,_ she thought bitterly. "And there's a lot going on with Chat Noir and Ladybug, but I don't really know all the details of that. Chat seems to be gone though. He got akumatised for some reason." 

 

Jagged was silent for a moment. "So how illegal would it be to punch a child here?" He asked after a moment, fiddling slightly with his fingers. Marinette gave him a deadpan 'no' look. He pouted and the teen couldn't help but think he looked rather childish, despite him being much older. "Just one? What about the liar?"

 

"Jagged, no." She said as sternly as she could. "Besides, not everything is bad! The new hero is super cool and she works with Ladybug really well! And there's uh- this girl who recently joined our class," Marinette's faint frown grew into a smile. "She sits beside me in the back, and she's really nice! Well- she seems cold to people who aren't close to her, but she's smart and talented and-" she stopped gushing when she saw Jagged's expression. 

 

"You like her, don'tcha Mari?" He grinned and nudged her side. She rolled her eyes and stood, retrieving her sketchbook. "Aww, my lil' rockstar's gonna have a girlfriend," he cooed. Mari tried to keep from turning as red as the Ladybug suit as she sat back down and flipped through pages of designs, some finished and some merely discarded concepts she'd doodled during her more boring classes. 

 

"Did you come here to gossip, or see my design ideas?" Jagged seemed to consider for a moment before deciding on muttering 'lil' of both' and moving closer to see the outfits more clearly. The two discussed a few changes or additions to Marinette's concepts, Jagged gushing over how talented she was every so often. Marinette couldn't help but grin when she heard he still had the sunglasses she'd designed him when they first met. 

 

They did this for a few hours before Penny told Jagged they needed to get to their hotel. Jagged gave the teen a quick fist-bump and ruffled her hair, which was now loose from its pigtails. "Call me if you ever need to put a certain somebody in their place," he winked and gave Fang a scratch- cooing in unintelligible baby talk at the reptilian- before exiting the room. 

 

Marinette was about to shrug off his silly request when she faltered. Put a certain somebody in their place...that gave her an idea. She rushed to her desk and grabbed her phone, opening Kagami's contact and typing hurriedly, the screen reflecting on her face and a glint in her bluebell eyes.

_I have a plan to expose Lila. You in?_


End file.
